David cady



(No Model.)

D. GAD'Y. SHOE HORN.

No. 481,253. Patented Aug. 23, 1892.

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NITED STATES DAVID OADY, OF INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA.

SHOE- HORN.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 481,253, dated August 23, 1892.

Application filed April 1 2, 1 892.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, DAVID OADY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Indianapolis, in the county of Marion and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Shoe-Horns, of which the following is a specification.

In the use of the ordinary shoe-horn much inconvenience and annoyance frequently arise from the fact that the salesman or other user is unable to hold it firmly and manipulate it properly to accomplish the work. Being obliged to grasp it with the thumb and finger, with the thumb usually in front, the thumb is always in the way of convenient use, it interfering seriously with starting the heel into the shoe. It is also difficult to obtain a secure hold to withdraw such a shoehorn from the shoe after the foot is in place, and such hold frequently slips, to the obvious annoyance and embarrassment of. both the salesman and the customer.

To obviate these difficulties is the object of my said invention; and it consists in so constructing said shoe-horn that it may be heldin such a manner that the thumb will not interfere with the work and that the heel will be forced more readily into the shoe by its use and the shoe-horn be more readily Withdrawn after the foot is in place in the shoe without danger of losing the hold thereon, as will be hereinafter more particularly described and claimed.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, which are made a part hereof, Figure 1 is a perspective view illustrating the use of my said invention; Fig. 2, a perspective View of the shoe-horn separately; Fig. 3, a front elevation, and Fig. 4 a central sectional view of the same.

The shoe-horn is generally of the form shown. Atitslower end,where the heel comes in contact therewith, it is curved or dished slightly transversely and is held in use in front of the fingers or in the palm of the hand. Its upper end is fiat transversely, but curved longitudinally, the curve starting to- Ward the front and extending thence in sub- Serial No. 428,837. (No model.)

stantially an arc of a circle to a point well behind the finger of the user when in use. The projection or offset formed by the forward bend just below the backward curve of the handle portion is the first point with which the heel comes in contact, and has a tendency to force the heel forward slightly just before it enters the shoe, so that when it passes over this projection and starts downwardly when entering the shoe it will pass in a more nearly vertical direction than if this projection were not employed. The handle proper, as shown in Fig. 1, passes between the fingers of the user, who thus always has a firm grasp on it, as well when the hand is used to aid in pushing forward on the heel of the person who is trying on the shoe, as in inserting and withdrawing the shoe-horn.

It will be observed that the mode of hand ling of this implement is altogether different from that in which the old-fashioned shoehorn has to be handled, and the result is much more satisfactory both in the facility with which the work can be accomplished and in the avoidance of embarrassing accidents upon losingthe hold, which are common with the old form.

Having thus fully described my said in Vention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A shoe-horn having its upper end curved or bentbackward and adapted to extend between the fingers of the user, whereby it is enabled to be handled in the manner herein shown and described.

2. A shoe-horn having its upper end flattened and formed into a curve, which curve starts forward at the initial point, forming a projection or offset above the dished portion thereof, substantially as shown and described, and for the purpose set forth.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal, at Indianapolis, Indiana, this 5th day of April, A. D. 1892.

DAVID CADY. [L. s]

Witnesses:

CHESTER BRADFORD, J. A. WALsH. 

